The invention relates to a drive assembly for use in the driveline of a motor vehicle with a plurality of drivable axles. Such drive assemblies are already known from the state of the art. For example, DE 40 21 747 C2 proposes a drive assembly for a motor vehicle with two drivable axles of which a first one is permanently driven by a drive unit and a second one can be hooked up by an externally controllable double coupling assembly. The latter comprises a common drivable coupling housing with two sets of plates which sets each comprise outer plates connected to the coupling carrier in a rotationally fast way and individual sets of inner plates connected to the sideshafts of the second driving axle in a rotationally fast way.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,235 there is known a drive assembly which comprises a multi-plate coupling arranged on a longitudinal axis and a differential drive following, and connected to, said multi-plate coupling. The multi-plate coupling comprises a carrier with outer plates being connected thereto in a rotationally fast way, as well as a hub with inner plates connected thereto in a rotationally fast way, with the outer plates and inner plates being arranged so as to axially alternate relative to one another. The coupling carrier, in a rotationally fast way, is connected to a driving journal for driving the differential drive. The multi-plate coupling and the differential drive are arranged in a two-part housing which comprises two chambers separated from one another by a wall with a sleeve-shaped projection. A driving journal for driving the differential drive is rotatably supported in the sleeve-shaped projection. The multi-plate coupling is arranged so as to axially adjoin the sleeve-shaped projection.
A similar assembly is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,631 wherein a driving journal for driving a differential drive and a multi-plate coupling for connecting a torque to be applied to the driving journal are supported in a common housing.